Levi's Vintage Clothing

[erk]

thanks for the kind words on the fit everyone.

and yes, the legs are really wide on the bottom, its kinda hard to get used to when going from the 47, but I think these are my favorite fitting jeans I own. still love my 47s though.

speaking of the sale on LVC stuff I was in the mall taking a melted macbook pro power chord to the apple store and stopped in the levis store. the Raleigh, NC store still has a few LVC items left, i saw a couple 47s (i saw a w32, dont remember what the other was), a couple '71 517s and some pre-distressed 47s. in case anyone wants to call em up.

[emmitbrown]

Whats up with the LVC t-shirts? Has anyone heard if they would be available in the US amidst all this searching whether LVC will be in US stores?

I was really looking forward to checking out those 50's tees in person.

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

Paul T, I was really looking forward to the 1890s, but they did new interpretation of em for this season, all things I loved with th 2006

are gone such as the flat rivets and the nice shape of the backpocket...

[blm14]

so I just picked up a pair of the 1944 LVC with the green pocket bags (thanks dejan!) and in the little included book there's mention of a 1947-inspired 2008 501 that has natural indigo dye and pocket bag prints. Does anyone know which model this is and/or where available? Thanks!

[ChuckO]

Ok. I just ordered a pair of raw '47's from Cultizm and I hate to do this but I want to make sure I have the initial soak rules down and understand why. Does it really matter wether you just do a soak or machine wash for the initial soak? If so why? I'm planning on doing an initial cold machine wash, no dry and then see how long I can wear without washing. My washing machine is a front loader if that matters.

[erk]

it does matter if you soak or wash. with LVC i've always just hot soaked once or twice and then done some more soaks or a hand wash, then machine wash at 6months. The reason it matters is agitation. agitation will make the jeans shrink more, so if you hot wash vs. hot soak there will be more shrinkage, I think hot soak vs. cold wash might be negligable, you might get slightly more shrinkage with a cold wash than a hot soak, but I'm not real sure.

i guess it all depends on how much shrinkage you want. I've also never coldwashed or hot washed a pair of LVCs right off the bat so i don't know how much indigo will be lost. All them japanese brands seem to do very well through an initial hot wash.

*****New Question*****

Whats the deal with the embossing on the leather patches?

my 1947s from F/W 2007 USA Line have an embossed patch

my 1947s from s/s 2008 Euro Line do not have an embossed patch

my 1937s from s/s 2008 Euro Line do not have an embossed patch

now I remember there being some discussion about embossing vs. no embossing but it doesnt seem to have anything to do with authenticity...

anyone have an answer?

[pro0]

looks like ill be posting my "555" 47 501s 30x38 for sale as soon as i get pix of them, just not getting the fit im looking for after i did the initial hot/warm soak.

[levistrauss]

Does it really matter wether you just do a soak or machine wash for the initial soak? If so why?

You'll lose more color with the washing machine. If you want to keep 'em dark soak 'em in the tub.

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

I´d give em a hot wash without any detergent, you´ll get the shrinkage complete, you´ll get hopefully a nice leg twist and somehow my experience is that a jean ones washed will fade faster and not less beautyfully. Do you think people in past times never washed there jeans!?

[Guest Marw]

I got a pair of 1937's(34x34) for sale(not up in the supermarket yet) almost like new, PM me if anyones interested!

[rnrswitch]

I´d give em a hot wash without any detergent, you´ll get the shrinkage complete, you´ll get hopefully a nice leg twist and somehow my experience is that a jean ones washed will fade faster and not less beautyfully. Do you think people in past times never washed there jeans!?

They did. But it was usually a cold hand wash. I usually hand wash with room temp water.

[electrum]

Ok. I just ordered a pair of raw '47's from Cultizm and I hate to do this but I want to make sure I have the initial soak rules down and understand why. Does it really matter wether you just do a soak or machine wash for the initial soak? If so why? I'm planning on doing an initial cold machine wash, no dry and then see how long I can wear without washing. My washing machine is a front loader if that matters.

Why complicate things? I mean hell, they're just jeans...fugetaboutit, put 'em on and enjoy. I never do an initial soak/wash with rigid jeans. Why f*ck em up? The denim wears better when worn off-the-shelf rigid, only of course if the denim is in fact rigid -- I haven't yet seen a pair of LVC marked "rigid" that were actually rigid. I guess if you have a pair of flimsy "rigid" LVC, then it doesn't matter whether you soak them first or not. If they do have an authentic rigid finish, i.e. stiff as surfboards (my $30 rigid stf stood up on their own new), then I'd recommend skipping the first soak thing, wear the hell out of em for 8- 12 mo's and enjoy their evolution into beautifully unique faded threads that you can truly call your own -- something you can only achieve from non-first-soak RIGID denim.

[i2andy]

rigid isn't the same thing as raw

[rnrswitch]

Woah, I don't think I agree at all. Actual a lot of LVC are rigid, as long as they are not some sort of special wash.

If somebody wears their non-sanforized denim a lot of bad things can occur. 1) they have not completely shrunk, so when you do end up washing them they are a completely different fit, 2) soaking/washing initially gets a lot of the starch out of the jeans, which will prevent them from "cracking" and breaking easily. I did not soak my RRDS (sanforized), but I did end up with my combs having frays and cracks in them. Something I don't want to happen to my nicer denim.

[rnrswitch]

rigid isn't the same thing as raw

Not officially, but for the most part they are interchangeable.

[Sympathy-For-The-Denim]

I gotta sell a pair of 1937s 201xx, got two pairs so I must get rid of one pair:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=320346908139

Thanks!!!

[blm14]

A lot of women I know use the word "rigid" to describe ANY jean that is 100% cotton (as opposed to those with stretch). That annoys me.

[electrum]

Compliments of an ebay seller, just got these in -- 37 201 555. Best lvc denim I've encountered so far. The denim is similar to '47s I've had but with a heavier, darker deep Pacific blue indigo (my fingers are blue from handling them) and more slubby fuzzy denim held together w/a much broader stylish selvage hem. The finish has a fine subtle luster, but is not rigid. They feel like they weigh in at around 12.5-13 oz. The denim looks and feels like what one would expect from original shuttle loom vintage denim -- very impressive. They fit perfectly running 1/2 inch larger than my normal waist size. Should wear well raw, I will post monthly progress fotos...

[electrum]

Slubby nuannces peppered throughout, inside and out...

[electrum]

[electrum]

[electrum]

Note the fuzzy hand of the denim -- super comfortable yet very strong too.

[erk]

thanks for posting the pics electrum, and they look real nice but I still don't understand your obsession with the idea of "rigid surfboard" jeans. it is my understanding that jeans that thick/stiff are a later achievement and jeans that are reproductions of early jeans shouldn't be as rigid as surfboards.

also, why not soak? you're not going to lose much color and in most cases i've found my jeans to be much more "rigid" after a soak.

[electrum]

The broad one inch-wide redline selvage conveys a very cool vintage vibe...

[erk]

also you can fit more than one picture in a post...

[electrum]

thanks for posting the pics electrum, and they look real nice but I still don't understand your obsession with the idea of "rigid surfboard" jeans. it is my understanding that jeans that thick/stiff are a later achievement and jeans that are reproductions of early jeans shouldn't be as rigid as surfboards.

also, why not soak? you're not going to lose much color and in most cases i've found my jeans to be much more "rigid" after a soak.

Thanks -- nice jeans indeed.

Yeah, what can I say, I'm a rigid whore as well as a weight whore too -- I'll try not to bitch too much about both when describing lvc's. Anyway, as for wash or dont wash, well I guess that's left up to the individual. I just prefer not to give mine a rinse before I start wearing them in. No big deal, whatever works best for you..

[Guest DCDenim]

I went to my levis store

here is what I can report..

LVC '47 is $175 marked down from $275 or so says the fgt working there as there was no retail price, nothing for $80, a ton of pairs all 28x34.

I bought 3 pairs of varnished $98 selvage 501s for proxy, all $29.99 and very fucking sweet looking sizes 31+ were available but nothing in my size as I would even consider putting them into rotation, they look that awesome.

[sayocean]

the "fgt" lied to you. LVC 47 was NEVER $275 unless we're talking about some washed version. Deadstocks retailed for $175 and last time i checked (a week ago), they were on sale for $80 bucks.

[sexlexcia]

Does all the care before hand really matter? Didn't people back in the day just through em in the wash and wear them till they got dirty?

[DrMoBueno]

^no, you're wrong.

they posted bulletins in the nearest mining town's store, asking other pioneers and miners what size they should get if they wore a 34 in sears & roebuck cotton twill trousers, when, how long, and in what temp water they should soak, and most importantly:

arcs & tab?

sometimes they had to proxy from san francisco...